West Brom have made progress in talks with Reyes Cleary as they look to secure the forward on his first professional contract.

The 17-year-old is the latest exciting talent to come through the ranks at Albion, but because of his age they have yet to tie him down to a long-term deal.

That has left them vulnerable to Cleary joining another club, and whilst the Baggies would be entitled to a compensation fee, it wouldn't reflect his potential.

It has been suggested that Bayern Munich are very interested in the teenager, along with Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Southampton following his fine form at U23 level.

However, in a real boost for West Brom fans, The Athletic have revealed that 'discussions have moved forward positively in recent weeks' between the Championship side and Cleary's representatives.

Even though there is still work to be done before an announcement can be made, that's obviously a good sign for Albion as they look to keep the talented attacker.

Another academy graduate, Taylor Gardner-Hickman, signed a new deal with the club today after impressing in the first-team in recent weeks.

The verdict

This is very good news for Albion because the fans have been understandably frustrated at how many academy players they have lost in recent years before they made an impact on the team.

So, the big fear was that Cleary would follow suit and that will still be the case until he has actually signed his deal.

But, this is a positive update and it suggests the player is enjoying his football and can see a pathway to the first-team, so you can see why he would want to stay.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.